Zev Weiss and Jeff Weiss to Lead American Greetings as Co-CEOs;
John Beeder Named President and COO

Zev Weiss and Jeff Weiss to Lead American Greetings as Co-CEOs;
John Beeder Named President and COO

CLEVELAND, OH — American Greetings has announced two important personnel moves for the newly privatized company. Effective immediately, Jeff Weiss is named Co-Chief Executive Officer to partner with his brother, Zev Weiss, in leading American Greetings; and John Beeder will serve as President and COO. The Weiss family acquired American Greetings Corporation on August 9, 2013, for $19 per share in cash.

Throughout his 25-year career at American Greetings, Jeff Weiss has gained expertise in every area of the company from marketing to sales and supply chain operations. He has played an integral role in bringing American Greetings to its leadership place in the marketplace. As President and Chief Operating Officer for the past 10 years, Jeff Weiss has championed the company's focus on creativity and innovation. As a result, American Greetings is now known in the industry as the innovation leader.

"Jeff's perspective and insights will complement mine as we serve together as leaders of American Greetings," stated Zev Weiss, Co-CEO of American Greetings. "It is very gratifying for me to have my brother join me in taking the company our great-grandfather founded more than 100 years ago, into a very bright and exciting future."

John Beeder will assume the roles of President and Chief Operating Officer. Beeder joined the Company five years ago as Senior Vice President, Executive Sales and Marketing Officer. Beeder recently celebrated his 30th year in the greeting card industry, having held executive management positions in marketing, product development, supply chain, finance and new business development. Immediately prior to joining American Greetings, he served as managing partner and chief operating officer of Compact Clinicals, a medical publisher in Kansas City.

"John's enthusiasm and experience have infused new thinking into our strategies and goals, delivering excellent results," said Zev Weiss. "We are pleased to promote him to a position that will have even greater influence on the organization, and I look forward to working with both Jeff and John to lead American Greetings to even greater growth and success in the future."

WASHINGTON, DC – March 5, 2015 – The Greeting Card Association (GCA) today announced the finalists of its 27th Annual LOUIE Awards, which recognize the “best of the best” in the more than $7B greeting card and social expression industry. “We are thrilled with the caliber of entries and delighted that so many new companies submitted their entries to this year’s LOUIE Awards,” said Tina Benavides, 27th Annual LOUIE Awards chair and vice president, Cards, Creative Division at American Greetings. “We offer our thanks to the 15 outstanding judges, representing companies from across the country, who dedicated their time and expertise to carefully evaluate each card for its originality, impact, design excellence, sendability and value,” she said. Click here to view a gallery of LOUIE Award finalists.

As the second most popular seasonal holiday for sending greeting cards, Valentine’s Day 2015 is projected to account for slightly more than $1 billion in Valentine’s Day card sales as total spending for the holiday is anticipated to be a record $18.9 billion.

Connecting with loved ones during this joyful season is extra special when you can do it by sharing a personalized greeting card that expresses your own warm wishes. Many want to share photos of milestone events from the past year, others want to update family and friends with a newsletter-style card, some people want a distinctive greeting and still others want a traditional card that’s ready-to-go without any customization necessary. Cardstore, the popular custom greeting card website from American Greetings, allows you to easily and conveniently send the perfect card to spread holiday cheer in exactly your style.

'Tis the season for holiday greetings. According to Hallmark research, nearly three-fourths of people who send some of the 1.4 billion Christmas cards each year do so because they know how good it feels to receive a holiday greeting. To make the card-sending process even easier, the experts at Hallmark have pulled together some helpful ways to find the right card, some inspiration and ideas on what to write inside, and even etiquette tips on how to address the envelope.

Get ready for American Greetings to turn the overly-sentimental greeting card cliche on its head! Warm, heartfelt messages are a beautiful thing and can really brighten the birthday of friends and family members – but there's also the tried-and-true option of hilarious, side-splitting birthday expressions. The new collection of OMG! Funny™ birthday cards take syrupy greetings to the next level and are guaranteed to bring big laughs.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — This month, Hallmark's Shoebox line of greeting cards deepens its rebellious roots with a total brand overhaul. From the logo to the messages, the entire collection has been updated with a modern look and language reflecting today's world in an irreverent and hilarious way. These cards are a perfect way to crack someone up and take all the credit.

July 10, 2014 — An impressive roster of key speakers is scheduled for the 73rd Annual Convention of the Greeting Card Association (GCA), taking place from Wednesday, Sept. 17, through Saturday, Sept. 20, at the St. Julien Hotel & Spa in Boulder, Colo. All in the industry – both GCA members and nonmembers – are invited to attend this year's Convention, themed "The Challenge of Change."